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All About

All About Insulators

Insulators prevent electrical shorts between the electrified wire and the fence posts. Good-quality insulators are critical to a properly functioning fence. Insulators are made from materials that do not conduct electricity, most commonly plastic or ceramic.

PLASTIC INSULATORS

Plastic insulators are molded from polyethylene, polycarbonate, or nylon and are designed to hold electrified wire near a variety of posts without losing energy through the post.

There are several styles to choose from because the insulator must match both the type of wire and the type of fence post being used. Plastic insulators include round post insulators, T-post insulators, wood post insulators, corner post insulators, end post insulators, and chain link fence insulators.

Make sure the plastic insulator you choose is molded from heavy-duty, high-density polyethylene (or harder plastic) with UV inhibitors. This prevents arcing and provides long life with all-weather performance, protecting it from the weather. Most insulators are available in yellow, black and white.

PORCELAIN INSULATORS

Like plastic insulators, porcelain insulators are designed to hold electrified wire near fence posts without losing energy through the post.

When good porcelain insulators are properly installed they should be able to last the life of your fence.

Porcelain insulators are a very good choice for using with your high tensile fence system.

SPECIALIZED INSULATORS

There are specialized insulators that are used for specific purposes. These can be summarized as follows:

Tube Insulators

Corner Insulators

Corner post insulators are designed to withstand fence line tension generated by the fence line pulling from the anchor point or changing directions.

Corner insulators should also be used at fence line termination points.

Corner post insulators are available in plastic and ceramic and accommodate steel wire, poly wire, poly tape and poly rope.

Specialty Insulators

Other insulators allow you to fasten electrified wire or poly products to posts and fences without losing energy through the post or fence.

There are many specialty insulators to choose from:

Chain Link

Tube

Corner

U-Post

Square Post

Tips

Expert Tips

Insulators come in many styles to accommodate a wide variety of post and wire types. Choose the correct type of insulator for the type of post and wire you've selected.

If you're using a low impedance fence charger, use an insulator with greater arcing protection, which will prevent the current from jumping to the fence post.

Porcelain insulators may be more expensive than plastic insulators, but they are designed to last a long, long time, usually the lifetime of your fence!

Plastic insulators can be used with all types of wire (and high tension if it is designated for it), while porcelain insulators can be used with all wires except for poly tape.

Corner posts and end posts have to withstand greater tension than other posts along the fence line. Therefore, use insulators at these areas that are designed to withstand the extra stress.

In addition, keep insulators free from dirt, dust and cobwebs.

FAQs

FAQs About Insulators

Q: Do I need insulators for my electric fence system?

A: Insulators allow you to fasten electric wires near the posts without losing energy through the posts and potentially shorting out your system, so yes, definitely use insulators to maintain the current throughout your fence line.

Q: Which type of insulator should I use?

A: There are several factors to consider when determining which type of insulator you want for your electric fence system. These factors include the type of fence post you will be using, and the type of wire you will be using. For corners and end posts you will need to know how much tension you plan to have on the wire.

Q: Is a porcelain insulator better than a plastic insulator?

A: Porcelain insulators are used with high tensile fences as well as standard electric fences. They will last the life time of the fence and add a nice look to the fence. Their only drawback is their initial cost: Porcelain insulators usually cost more than plastic insulators.

Insulators made from plastic are generally used for standard electric fences only, although there are some designed for use with a high tensile fence.